Episodes Unknown
by AmbrLupin
Summary: A different myth every chapter, with a little twist on everyone's favorite demon hunters. Join them as they gain a new partner who isn't quite as she... appears, as they come against Jack T. Ripper, and a whole lot of others not yet written. Slash.


Episodes Unkown

Chapter one: Street Walking Horrors

By: Ambrlupin and Helena F. Lupin

Summary: A different myth every chapter, with a little twist on everyone's favorite demon hunters. Join them as they gain a new partner who isn't quite as she... appears, as they come against Jack T. Ripper, and in the process save a soul from the depths of dark alleys. Plus a lot that hasn't been written yet. Slash warning.

Disclaimer: We don't own them, but damn we can write it good.

A/N: Yes...yes I know, I already have a SN story, and I swear to God I will get on that. My friend started this and I got pulled into it as well. It's... different.

Helena: ... YAY to writing!

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It was the usual club. Loud music, bar at the far end, stage occupied by some random small band, and dance floor paced with bodies. At least they were alive this time. For the past three weeks dead bodies had been popping up near the club. What they all had in common was that they were all dark haired, scarlet lipped, female prostitutes. All fairly young too. It seemed like such a simple case of serial murder. If only it had not been for the writing on the wall at the first scene.

**'Bitches Beware. Jack is back.'**

If it was indeed Jack the Ripper, then there was one big problem. The guy should have been very dead. A few centuries ago really. But that did not stop the business that those women run. They had no choice. Especially Ruby. She had nothing she could do. And she had the feeling that she was next. She said it herself, with an easy air. As if she did not care about the danger.

Ruby sat in that club now on a bar stool, long legs crossed and barely hiding everything with a short plaid red and black school girl skirt. Thigh high black sheer stockings clung to her legs, with red silk bows at the top. The shoes were three inch spiked red heels. Her white silk blouse was untucked, the last few buttons undone to reveal a red metal rose navel piercing, the sleeves pushed up. A red vest was thrown over that. A choker of black lace and five spaced roses on that. Matching earrings adorned her ears.

Ruby was slender and agile, beautiful. Her face was delicate with high cheek bones and fuller lips painted blood red. Dark, thick lashes framed bright sapphire eyes. Her hair was kept short to curl at the nape of her neck and around her face. It was raven, but the hair framing her face blood red. Her skin was pure alabaster. But she was no ordinary hooker. She was considered a Courtesan.

Men paid big just for her company. There had not been a true courtesan around since…well, Jack the Ripper's time. She laughed and glanced back at the bar tender.

"Hey, sugar! Another scotch please." She gave a little pout at him. He was new, had been there a week only, but she was more nice to him then all the other men around her. Those how wanted to pay were not worthy human beings in her eyes. No dime, no time. That was her saying. But if she found a good guy, she never minded giving up her time.

Dean Winchester grinned over at her, leaning a hip and an arm on the bar. He was wearing a pair of tight jeans, and a dark green-blue shirt stretched across his chest. A golden charm glittered on the shirt from the black chord around his neck. He tended to get some interesting looks, and for the most part he was in good humor to give them back.

Chuckling, he slid the glass over to her, "here you go."

Ruby snatched it up with a smile. She leaned over the counter, catching the necklace and leaning in, seeming to give him a kiss on the cheek, but in truth was murmuring in his ear. "The tall one is getting grabby. Call Bill." The bouncer.

Dean hummed under his breath in answer. He had fit into the tight-knit group quickly. The longer you were there, the more time you had to develop signs and little hints through just body-language. One would think he hadn't been there long enough, but it didn't take very long for Dean to learn the signs and hand them out in return. Calling Bill was as effortless as filling up a shot glass.

One tossed out drunk later Ruby was back to flirting. Ruby brought in a lot of business by being there, so the owner and his people took care of her. The night was winding down, and it was getting to that time of night when cops guessed the murders had taken place. Ruby was not supposed to walk home alone, but her escort was home sick. Oh well. On her way home alone then.

"Bye, lovies." She called, blowing a kiss to the club that was now filled with only waiters and such. She picked up her mini backpack from the bag check girl and waved again, heading out the door. It was that time of early morning when no one was out anymore. About four. Everything shut down for a bit until people went to work around six or so. She slipped off her shoes while leaning against a wall and switched to tennis shoes. Better for running if need be.

She took a turn down an alley that led home for her and felt like something was settling over her shoulders. Heavy, thick air filled her lungs. Like smog. Her skin jumped, nervous. Something was wrong. She sped up, glancing behind herself once. As her head swung back around she screamed at the large shadowed figure looming over her. It's arm swung up, wicked curved blade in hand.

A hand closed over her shoulder, jerking her back against a larger body, still in those tight jeans and shirt. A gun flashed on her right, the retort muffled, but the flash that accompanied it bright as ever. It was such a quick movement, the jerking back and the shot, that it was over in a matter of two seconds.

And the figure was nowhere to be seen. Ruby shivered, then the moment passed and she got pissed. "Fuck me!" She all but shouted. "Who the hell was that!" She turned and came face to face with Dean. "Thanks for the rescue, sugar." She patted his stomach absently. At five foot one she was just over a foot shorter then him.

"I'll take a shot and say that was our ever elusive J.R." Dean wrapped an arm around her waist, holding his sawed off shotgun in the other hand. "You all right?" he looked down at her, his eyes shadowed in the dim lighting.

"You bet. Worse has happened to me." She gave a faltering smile and let him hold her for now. "I owe you a home cooked dinner. You and that guy you hang around with. Boyfriend?"

"Brother." He corrected absently, though it was such a common misconception that he was so used to just answering it. He looked around, and hummed under his breath. "Well, let's not look a gift-horse in the mouth. Let's get you out of here."

"I can walk on my own. Besides, you keep holding me like that and I'll have to make you pay." Ruby smiled and slid free. "Come on, sugar." She began to lead the way. "You'll be one of the few to ever see my place."

Dean chuckled. "Take away my fantasies, why don't you." He let her slip away and followed after her, absently checking out his gun as he walked. "Oh. I feel rather special." He was going to have to call his brother later, keep him updated.

Ruby led him to a small, but comfortable apartment. The living room was white walled, with faint blue carpet. The couch and chairs were pale cream soft leather, a large tv up against the wall, a fireplace blocked off with glass for now since it was not in use. To the right was a doorway to her bedroom. To the left there was an opening to a dinning room and kitchen. They were fairly high up, so there was a balcony with a nice view.

"Thanks a lot, sugar." She said as she kicked off her shoes at the door. "Want dinner now, or another time? It'd be breakfast really if I cooked now."

"I'll take dinner another time. I've got to get a hold of my brother. We've been trying to track that son of a bitch for a week and a half." He took his jacket off, stowing the shotgun at the small of his back, under his shirt. Swinging the jacket back on, he fixed the collar.

"Alright. We'll call it dinner, but I'll make breakfast. You have a choice. Biscuits and gravy. Or bacon, egg and cheese biscuits?" She prompted as she headed into her bedroom to change, shutting the door, leaving only a sliver of it open to hear his answer. "And call your brother now. I don't mind feeding him too."

"I'll take door number one." Dean answered with a smile as he fished his phone out of his pocket and dialed up his brother. It was just natural and inbred to lower his voice so she couldn't really hear the conversation, even though he was just recounting what had happened tonight. Before giving him directions.

Ruby came out soon enough, changed into a pair of jean shorts, but those were hidden by the oversized green cotton button up shirt she had tossed on. It stopped at mid thigh. All jewelry was gone, and makeup too. She headed into the kitchen and began to cook from scratch. Pretty good for a hooker.

Dean watched for a while, until his brother showed up, setting a duffel bag down on the floor. "Hi." He greeted, nodding over at Ruby, running fingers through his hair. All in all, it had been a stressful week and a half for both Winchester brothers.

"You both look like you need good food and sleep." Ruby stated as she walked to the dinning room table and put down plates. "You poor things. So, why are you hunting the new Jack?" She asked as she moved, hips swaying absently. An ever present reminder of her profession.

"Because we can't let innocent people die when we can hopefully prevent it." Sam answered before Dean could even open his mouth. He would have had some cocky, smart-ass answer to her serious question.

"Oh, baby-doll. None of them were innocent." Ruby said with a sad little smile as she went back to check the food. There was such a final sense of sorrow that was unchanging. That little glint to the edges of her eyes. She did not feel cheated or upset someone had tried to kill her. Indeed, she felt it fair.

"I'd say innocent." Dean replied then. He met her eyes for a moment, and then looked away. He had a different sense of innocent vs. not-so innocent. He never put much stock into normal quota and things of that nature. Dean put a lot of people under the innocent category.

"Yeah, and you'd say M&Ms are a meal, sugar." She teased, ignoring the break in her own voice. She was home. Home was usually the safe place to break down if she needed to. Perhaps she should have come home alone. She knew she needed to cry. Pushing back fear never lasted.

"Sam, do me a favor? Head down to the car and grab my other bag? Thank you." Dean turned away a bit, and Sam blinked at his back for a moment and then finally turned out and headed down the stairs to the car.

Ruby rubbed her eyes without even noticing that a brother had been sent off. Her back still to where they both had been. She shoved the tears back. She had done it before, she could do it again. Being weak never helped you.

No, it might not, but neither did holding it in. Dean came up behind her and rubbed her back. "Talk to me, darling." He said quietly, leaving it open ended. She could take the invite, or let it go.

"I don't even hate him for it." Ruby muttered as she focused on the biscuits before her, fresh from the oven. "He's a killer, but I don't hate him for coming for me. I don't blame him. And I wouldn't if he did it again. I'm a whore, Dean. I go by another word, but it's a label for the same thing."

"A whore or not, I don't see how that would give him a reason to come after you. I won't let him kill you. He can come back again, and again, as many times as he wants, but he won't get you." Dean's voice was soft, but no less serious.

She turned to face him, looking down at the kitchen floor. "A defiled temple of God. That's what the priest at the church nearby called me. And he's right. I'm not foolish enough to think otherwise." She let out a sigh, drawing herself back together. No shattered pieces tonight for her.

Dean let out a soft noise and tipped her face up to meet his eyes. "He was wrong." He said simply, letting her chin go after a moment. He could hear Sam back outside on the stairs, coming up.

"Thanks, sugar." She gave a faint smile, standing on tip toe, having to pull him down with a hand on his shoulder to kiss his cheek. As quickly as she did it she moved away to finish cooking. That was the first free kiss that Ruby had ever given away.

Dean knew it too, and was silent as Sam opened the door and muttered something about not having another bag in the trunk. He wasn't stupid, he knew why he had been sent off, but he had to at least play it off when he came back in.

Breakfast/dinner was set out soon and Ruby was more then happy to have done it. And honestly, she was as good a cook as she was a companion for hire. She ate with them, a little more quiet then her usual perky self, but seemingly tension had left her body. "Where are you two staying anyway?"

Dean was happy to just sit there and eat, which, through process of elimination of the two brothers, that left Sam to answer the question shot at them. "A little motel not too far from here. We rented it out for two weeks."

"A motel?" She made a face. "Ew. And two weeks? You're time's almost up. If you need a place to stay…" She gave a slight shrug, willing to let them stay if it meant someone would stop Jack from killing more. Oh, she could care less of her life, but others? Others she cared about.

Dean swallowed. "You'd let us stay?" He questioned, licking off his fork absently. They had no other choice, then to stay in a hotel, without much in the way of money. They had to rip off credit cards as much as they were able, but that only went so far.

Ruby set her fork down slowly, looking at her plate a long moment before she spoke. "The man that came at me was not a normal man. He vanished. Don't say he ran. He vanished. I'd feel better if you had a place to stay till you stopped him."

Sam opened his mouth. "Now, you can't say he-"

"He vanished." Dean cut his brother off, watching her seriously as he set his own fork down. "He vanished when I shot him. We won't lie to you. We won't _be_ lying to you." He nodded. "And, if you'd like that, we'll stay."

"Good." Ruby smiled. "I know what I saw, I'm sorry if that doesn't work for you. I'm not foolish. I'll pull out the couch, it turns into a bed. Or you two can have the bed and I'll go couch. Doesn't bother me."

"We'll take the couch." Dean smiled back at her. "I never said you were, by the way, which is why I'm going to be straight up with you. J.R. here is most likely a spirit. Rock salt can help, but odds are this one might just be a _tad _bit more resilient."

"That's not good." Ruby said as she stood, picking up dishes. She set about cleaning them before heading to open up the couch like she had said she would, dragging out a bunch of blankets and sheets for them. "There, you should be nice and warm then. I have to run to the laundry room down in the basement for a bit, I'll be back soon enough." She gathered up a basket with clothing and headed toward the door.

Dean tossed Sam the blankets and sheets. "Have at." He grinned, leaving him to make the bed as he pulled the shotgun and the twin knives, one at his arm, the other on his leg, and set them out on the table. He picked up the bag, shifting through the things and putting them all away.

Ruby smiled and left them to it. She headed toward the elevator and hit the button for down. The light behind it blinked, flickered before going solid on again. "Hm…" She shook her head and stepped in when the doors opened. Punching the basement button she relaxed against the wall and waited, basket on hip. The doors opened a few moments later to the cement hall that led to the laundry rooms. She opened a washer and shoved stuff in at random before shutting it and starting it up. Taking a seat in one of those tacky little blue plastic chairs she relaxed, waiting.

With a sigh she dropped her head back. The air was cool. She liked the cold. The lights flickered and she glanced up, eyebrows drawing together. A footstep. "Dean?" Yeah, right. It was just the first name she thought of. She stood up, moving to the doorway and glancing into the hall. No one. "Okay…"

"Why do you feel the need to get so protective?" Sam asked, one eye on his brother as he made up the couch bed for them.

Dean pulled his shirt over his head, setting it on the back of the chair along with his jacket. He stretched, sighing. "Why do you feel the need to ask so many questions?"

Sam just rolled his eyes and tossed the blanket on the bed. Keeping quiet for now.

Silence took over for a while, in fact they were almost asleep when the sounds came. Running bare feet in the hall, then frantic movements as Ruby tried to shove her key into the lock and twist it open. She came in, door banging on the wall, one hand still gripping the knob as she stumbled to her knees, gasping. Pale and terrified. A gash slashed her forehead, blood running down the side of her face and throat.

"Sam!" Dean was already out of the bed. Both brothers had opened their eyes at the footsteps, half out of bed when she had hit the door. The younger jumped out into the hallway as Dean slid to his knees in front of her, grasping her arms and hauling her up into his own, backing her up toward the couch and the bed, away from the door.

One light at a time flickered out in front of the elevator and coming toward them, the image of Jack coming in a second before the light came back on. Then the next was out and there he was, a step closer. Tall, covered in a trench coat, glinting surgically sharp knife in hand.

"Well, well, if it isn't J.R." Dean muttered, holding her close, cursing the fact his weapons were on the table a few feet away. "You look well."

Sam was in between Jack, and Dean and Ruby. He looked back at them, and shifted between them a little more.

He stood in the doorway now, the light over him out. Those in the apartment went out, the street lamps outside giving only a bit of light as it walked in. The air grew colder, causing their breath to show. Ruby jerked, wanting to run. She drew back from Dean carefully, backing up against the arm of the couch. From between the cushion and the arm she drew out a switch blade, holding it carefully behind her back out of sight. Well, one was prepared among them.

Dean had one arm out a little, between her and the rest, a protective gesture that came so easily to him it was scary at times. He shifted as well, backing up and pressing her to the arm of the couch just a bit so he could slip his hand under his pillow. He came out with a knife at least eight inches long, holding it against his skin so it was hidden from Jack's view, but not her own.

Jack moved suddenly, faster then before. Sam went flying, then Dean. Ruby fell back, tossing the knife at Jack's head. It went straight through. "Shit!" Ruby scrambled back and moved just in time that Jack's knife only shredded the bed.

Dean rolled to his feet, making a lunge for the bag on the table. He upended it, grabbing a shotgun with his right hand, and a pistol with the left. He knew for a fact there was rock salt in the shotgun, but the pistol, well, it could very well have real bullets. But he didn't have the time to check, just leveled the shot gun as quick as he could.

Jack went over the bed, swinging for Ruby's throat. The woman gave a small shout and fell back, barely getting missed. Before Dean could fire, Jack vanished. Ruby was still a moment, then fell back on the floor, breathing hard as the lights came back on.

Dean checked the gun, setting it down on the table as he walked forward, holding his hand out for her to take. "Sammy, you all right?"

"Yeah…Yeah, I'm fine." He got back up from the floor, shaking his head. "Where'd Jack go?"

"Vanished."

"Again." Ruby said as she took his hand and let herself be helped up. Her other hand rose, testing the tenderness of her temple.

"Smart people that we are… Sam?" Dean reached out and turned her head, looking at the cut. He got himself a towel, wet one corner, and started to clean her up.

"Already on it." He rummaged around for some salt in the kitchen, before spreading it at the door, and by the windows. "Ruby, do you mind if I do around your bed?"

"You already put it all over the carpet in here, go for it." She replied with a small smile. "Thanks for the help boys." She winced. "Ow. Careful, sugar."

Sam nodded and headed off, finishing up in the bedroom, making sure to do a circle around her bed, the salt inlaid with shells.

"Sorry." Dean's touch gentled quite a bit, biting at his bottom lip as he cleaned her up. "It just pisses me off."

"Yeah, I bet. This crap is ridiculous. If he wasn't being so dramatic he'd have finished me off long ago." Ruby stated as she looked up at him with a side glance, keeping her head turned so he could work. "Think I need stitches?"

"I'm thankful he does have a flair for the dramatic." He muttered, "This is twice I've let him get to you." It was pissing him off something bad. He watched her, gently cleaning up some more of the blood. "Ah, no, I think you'll live."

"Yay." She sighed. "I'm going back to get my laundry. And no lectures. Creepy ghosty thing or not, I want my damn skirt!"

Dean chuckled, grabbing a bandage and putting it over the deeper part of the cut. "No lectures from me, though I am going with." He gave her a grin, grabbing a button up shirt and throwing it over his bare chest, leaving it open.

"Sure, why not?" She shrugged and called to Sam where they were doing and headed out the door. "Lucky for us no one asks what anyone else is up to. Otherwise more people would have shown up when I screamed." One trip to the laundry room later she stuffed her things into the dryer. Everything was strangely absent of bras and underwear.

"Thank God for small mercies." He muttered, and leaned against the wall while she was at the dryer, not even paying attention to her things as he played with the knife he'd pulled from under the pillow, flipping it around and around in his hands. "Knives are useless, rock salt is at the moment, slightly effective, though not the way we need it to be."

"Great to know." She replied, bending over to pick up a sock she had dropped. The shirt she wore drew up, revealing a very perfect ass before she stood again. "But, why is he attacking people here, in New York, when he's from England?"

Dean's eyebrow rose and he grinned, masking it in a shrug. "Eh, moving up in the times? N.Y. is the place to be nowadays. Spirits and such aren't very law-abiding. Some might do what you expect, but others can be complete wild cards."

"Maybe." She shrugged as she started the dyer and then sat on top of it, crossing her legs, hands planted on either side of her. "I bet it's pissed that I'm still breathing though."

"I'd take that bet." He nodded, rolling the knife along his knuckles, before he picked it up and threw it across the room with a flick of his wrist, pinning it smack-dab into the thin wooden frame all the way across the laundry room. "The son of a bitch needs go back to hell, where he belongs."

"Agreed." She slid off and moved toward the knife, pulling it free and looking at it. She kept her back to him. "You may need bait."

Dean's eyes narrowed. "….no. I don't use bait."

"Oh well. Guess you are this time." She turned to him, knife held lax at her side. "I'm in it. He's going to come anyway."

"I don't like it." Dean watched her, scars looking ominous in the dim lighting, peeking through his open shirt. It was true, though, and he couldn't argue that fact. He was going to calm again, she was bait no matter what.

"No, I didn't think you would." She moved toward him slowly, lifting the blade and pressing a kiss to the flat of it. She turned it before pressing it to his mouth. The closest she would get freely mouth to mouth. "But I'm stuck, so let me help."

He sighed, breath fogging up the blade for a moment before he reached out, closing fingers around her wrist. He took the knife away, took her hand. "All right." He said quietly. But he also made a silent promise to himself. To keep an extra eye out, watching and waiting.

Ruby was dead to the world in her bed for the better part of the day. When night came, she woke up. Working time. She walked with the boys to the club this time, wearing a skin tight black leather skirt and a more fitted blood red silk shirt, sleeves shoved up again. Her heels were red as well, with ribbons that laced all the way up her legs. Another ribbon was tied about her throat, the ends falling down her back. She walked between them, one arm in each of theirs.

"I feel like a lucky woman." She chuckled, pulling both of them in closer to her body.

Dean had drawn the short straw, as it were, to be the one to work there, but he didn't mind much at all. Sam was usually the one who went out doing recon. But this time, he was going to hang out in the club. The elder Winchester had teasingly joked his way out of the house. His little Sammy needed to get out anyway.

The night was normal enough, Ruby surrounded by admiring males. She played as if she had not been attacked twice the other night. Makeup hid the cut on her temple well, as did her hair. At one point she sat on the bar counter and turned as Dean passed, looping part of the ribbon she wore around his shoulders and pulling him back for what looked like a kiss again, but she murmured.

"Far west wall, left corner." Then she let him go. Leaving him to look at the tall, half shadow hidden figure there.

"Not bad." Dean whispered under his breath. He found his brother's eyes from across the room, leaving Sam to take care of that as he kept an eye on Ruby. Sure, he had a pistol at the small of his back loaded with double rounds of rock salt, and he knew he'd get a shot off before anything happened, but he still watched her.

The night was winding down, and the figure moved from place to place. Never staying put for too long. Sometimes Ruby would give a flinch when no one was looking. Sometimes Dean would catch why too. Something would touch her now and again. A hand slipping from the shadows. It was teasing her. And she remained perfectly calm. But her pulse raised in her throat and her eyes gave away her fear.

His temper was getting the better of him, and Dean had to take a breath or a shot whenever it got too bad. Pulling a gun and lighting up the club wasn't a good idea. However, he couldn't do that, so he had to take a few breaths and a few shots, and move closer every time, in case something did go wrong.

The club began to empty and soon Ruby was all but attached to Dean or Sam. Whichever really. "I haven't been groped that much since my second cousin's wedding."

She was with Sam for a moment, since Dean was out front, poking his head around and basically calling the son of a bitch out to face him like a man. "It pissed him off too." He grinned wryly, keeping her close. "Dean's never been so uptight on a job."

"He's a sweet guy. And not just because of the candy he eats." She chuckled. "Thank you too, Sam." She pulled him down to kiss his cheek with a smile, leaving a red mark on his face.

Sam smiled at her and hugged her close for a moment, before letting her go. "You're very welcome." He peered out the window, making sure his brother was still there and not pinned to some wall getting his insides torn out.

"Go and get him, we'll walk home then." She chuckled and gave him a little push toward the door.

He chuckled, walking outside, turning his head this way and that. "Dean?"

Sam was knocked in the back of the head and sent sprawling into the street. "Sam!" Ruby cried as she moved toward the class doors. Jack appeared behind her, and between one blink and the next his hand closed over her mouth and they were both gone.

Dean busted through the back door, gun in hand. He had been just one moment too late. He let out curses that would have made their mother turn in her grave, reaching down and picking up the ribbon on the floor, twining it around his fingers. "Sammy!"

"Damn…yeah…" he got up, shaking his head to clear it.

There was no trace of Ruby, nowhere to be found. The one that got away had just gotten caught. The few friends she had were worried, gathering the night after next at a church not too far away. The priests there seemed to welcome them. All but one who made a comment about 'defiled temples of God'.

Dean patted Sam on the back, walking over to the priest that had the smart mouth. "Where's Ruby?" He asked quietly, taking a blind guess.

"Ruby?" The priest blinked from behind glasses. "Ah, you mean the prostitute?"

He nodded, looking down at the ground for a moment, and then looking back up before he clocked the hell out of the priest, dropping him where he stood with one hit to his head.

The other priests and people there stood in utter shock. "Good lord!" One woman gasped as she gripped the edge of her coat.

Shaking out his hand, Dean raised his eyes and looked at all the people. "That's one way of putting it." He murmured at the woman. "I need you all to clear out for the moment. Please, thank you, and goodbye."

Well, needless to say, people obeyed. Afraid or confused, but they all went. The priest was coming around slowly with a low groan. There was blood from a busted lip on his face.

Sam, who, looked about as confused as everyone else, was shutting the doors behind them. "Dude, a priest?"

"Ah, well, already going to Hell." Dean murmured, gripping the priest's shirt, pulling him up to face him. "How about answering?" He gave him a shake with one hand.

The priest laughed at him slightly. "That one was the worst. Jack would not listen to me about that one. Tried to tell him to just get rid of her like the others. But he says she's not a whore. She's a courtesan, and she got away for a night. She gets to be special."

Dean's hand tightened. "Where is she?"

"Don't know." The priest spat at him. "Can always check the basement, something of his is there."

Dean hummed under his breath, and then clocked him once more, letting him drop to the ground on his head. He caught the gun tossed at him, heading off toward the basement. He always tended to head off for the trouble and the danger, with his little brother hanging back.

The basement was packed with odds and inns. A bunch of candles or crosses. Holy items left and right. The entire room felt so clean, except for one area. A crate. The air around it was stifling.

Heading over to the crate, Dean held his gun loosely in one hand, reaching out to open it. This entire thing was pissing him off. He just wanted things to go back to normal. Or as normal as they ever got.

Inside was a custom made padding that had held two blades. One was there, the other gone. The one there was rusty, old. Just like the one Jack had wielded. The second was a straight scalpel blade. A scream came from up in the church above.

Dean grabbed the blade that was left, sticking it in his belt loop as he bolted back up the stairs toward the upper levels, taking the stairs two at a time. Sometimes it paid to be six feet tall.

He showed up just in time to see Ruby slam onto her back on the alter at the head of the church, some thirty feet from him. She rolled over to the floor, coughing up blood. The priest was standing to one side, the other knife in hand, and Jack, moving toward Ruby with his own clean pristine scalpel in hand.

Sam was on the ground, out cold near one of the walls. "Hey!" Dean's voice echoed and for one moment he had another stroke of genius. He stabbed the blade into a crack in the wall, and jerked hard, the rusted metal snapping in two.

A roar filled the air, but Jack remained standing, but looking faded now. "Need this?" The priest waved the other blade, at the far end of the church. Jack was moving toward Ruby who had scrambled up and was running, having kicked off her shoes long ago.

Knowing it wouldn't kill him, but it'd at least slow him down for a moment, Dean unloaded his shot gun and the rock salt at Jack, before pulling the pistol with the other hand and shooting at the priest's hand holding the knife with regular rounds.

The priest ducked, hiding himself and the knife behind pews. Jack jerked with each shot before turning and moving toward Dean. Very pissed it seemed. Ruby dove at the priest who dared to peek around the corner. Struggling began on her end of things. Jack swing at Dean with a part of a pew when he grabbed the back and swung it at the other, tearing it up from where it was attached.

Dean ducked, unloading a few more rounds into Jack, getting him more and more pissed so he stayed where he was for time being. He dodged and weaved, taunting him. He had faded with one knife. Now they needed to snap the other as well.

The priest ended up sprawled in the isles between the pews and Ruby stood. The knife had skittered away. Ruby ran toward it only for Jack to literally pop up, knife swinging upward into her stomach. Ruby stood in shock as his other hand rose, gripping the back of her neck and lowering her to the ground, blocking Dean's view of her before he stood again and moved toward him.

The priest was getting up, laughing.

Dean stood frozen, eyes wide. "Ruby!" His voice echoed again in the church, and for the longest moment he couldn't do anything. Jack could have run him through, and he wouldn't have moved to protect himself.

Jack was moving, and behind him, Ruby rolled over and snatched up the blade, standing.

"What! No!" The priest shrieked, Jack jerking around. "His blades never fail to kill a woman!"

Ruby focused on Jack. "I ain't a woman." Her voice had dropped a bare octave before she snapped the blade, splitting her palm open. But to hear Jack scream, it was worth it. The spirit shattered into pieces, the scream dying off slowly.

"That'd do it." Dean nodded, strangely calm about it all. And then he was moving, taking a few long strides to reach the priest, and without any further ado, knocked him the fuck out again. "Third times a charm."

Ruby let out a sigh and moved toward Sam, settling to his knees and shaking the other gently. "Hey, wake up baby-doll." He murmured in his soothing feminine voice.

Sam groaned, some blood running down the side of his face. "What the hell…" he muttered, blinking his eyes open, one hand coming up to touch the side of his face. "...Ruby?" What happened?"

"Oh, nothing." Ruby gave a faint smile. "Priest was behind it. Dean broke one of Jack's blades. Everyone found out I was really a guy. I broke the other knife." He waved a dismissive hand.

Frowning, he sat up, "You…what?"

Dean came back over, hauling Ruby up and pinning him to the wall. "Don't you _ever_ do that to me again." He let him go, moving back before spinning on his heel to go take care of the broken blades, the other's ribbon flashing from where he had tied it around his wrist, under his jacket.

Ruby stood still for a moment before giving a small smile. Dean was a good man. He offered a hand to Sam and helped him up, taking him out of the church. "Time to get you cleaned up." He said gently as he led the way.

Not too long after that, Dean was packing up the car, soft classic rock coming from the speakers. He had the trunk up, with the shotgun propping up the hidden latch. He was replacing the weapons, one at a time. He'd buried the blades, one in the north, and one in the south. Just because.

Sam was stuck in Ruby's kitchen, being loaded up with gladware containers of food he had made for the brothers. A hand settled onto Dean's wrist lightly, where the ribbon lay. "Dean." Ruby said softly. He had washed the red from his hair, leaving it all pure shining black. He wore jeans and another button up, this one sunny pale yellow. It was the most male he had looked yet.

Looking over at him, he made a soft sound of acknowledgement in his throat, placing his shotgun into its case in the trunk. He pulled the wedge out, closing the hidden compartment and then the trunk down with a snap. Before he looked over at him again.

"Thank you, Dean. I'm sorry I didn't say anything about my…well…sex." Ruby sighed as he looked way up at the other. "Things were just easier this way for so long." He glanced down the sidewalk toward a street corner. "I don't want to go back to it though."

Dean didn't say anything for the longest time, and then he smiled. "It's all right. We're all allowed to have our secrets, right?" He moved, playing with the ribbon. "You want this back?" he questioned lightly.

Ruby shook his head. "No, you keep it." He slowly looked back at the other. "Dean. I want to go with you two."

Dean met his eyes, biting at his lip. "All right. For a price."

Ruby gave a faint smile. "And what is that?"

Tipping his face up, he kissed him lightly on the lips. "Figured I won that one." He grinned, giving him a wink and heading over to the driver's side, laying on the horn to get his idiotic brother outside.

Ruby laughed. "Sam's getting my bag." He had simply ordered the other to get it, not saying what it was. "And Dean…my real name is Rue."

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Oh God, here we go. It's begun.

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